Benwood, a town in Van Buren township, three and a half miles northeast of Brazil, founded by Franklin and Martha Casteel, in 1871. Through in the developed area of the coal field and populated largely by miners employed at the shafts thereabout, this place did not derive its name from this circumstance. Owing to the fact that the lands of Van Buren township were heavily timbered, much of the cord-wood delivered to the Vandalia Railroad for fuel prior to the use of coal, was cut on the Casteel and surrounding grounds, to which frequent visits were made by the railroad company’s inspector and receiver, who was familiarly known as “Ben Davis.” It was the fancy of the founders of the place to honor and perpetuate the memory of their friend Davis in the naming, by simply and befittingly combining the abridged fore part of his name with “wood”—Benwood.

During the time of the operation of the Vandalia switch from Knightsville out to the mines thereabout, Benwood did considerable busi- ness. The first merchant was A. P. Hand, succeeded by F. M. Sigler, Harry Hice, John Murphy, John M. Marks, M. H. Johnson & Co. The growth of the place during the period of its prosperity so developed in school population as to necessitate the building of a two-story house with four apartments. Benwood had a postoffice for a year or more at some time under the Arthur administration, which, when discontinued, was merged into the Cardonia office. John Evans was the only postmaster. There has been no merchandising done here since the loss of the M. H. Johnson & Co. business by fire.